by Jon Wuebben

The rise of small business…it’s unbelievable what has happened. Did you know that there are 6.6 million home based businesses in the U.S.? The number of small businesses is increasing in the United States. According to the SBA, the number of non-employer firms has risen steadily this decade to 21.1 million in 2007, a jump from 16.5 million in 2000.

There are thousands… and in some cases, millions of people out there who want what you are selling. And with the internet, you can be found by anyone searching for you! That’s the real change. You just need to be optimized for search, right?

Not convinced?  Consider this: Google has reported that 20% – 25% of their daily search queries are unique. That means even interest in different niches on the web is constantly changing.

What you don’t want to do is enter a market where there are too many “browsers” and not enough buyers. Or enter a market with so much competition that it takes years to rank on the first page of Google, or costs $10 per click to advertise on the first page.

How about some techniques on how to brainstorm new niches?

1. WordTracker’s Top 1000 Search Engine Keywords:

There are two kinds of Top 1000 Keywords reports: the “short-term” report, and the “long-term” report. The short-term report shows the highest-volume keywords from WordTracker’s database over the past 24 hours. With this report you can pick up on the new, hot trends as they emerge.

2. “How to” websites:

Examples of free how-to websites include general sites like eHow and WikiHow. They allow you to search for the most popular articles and categories. Ehow.com is a great example. The site displays the “Top 10 eHows” on its homepage. In just five minutes of browsing the site, you can get a good sense of the solutions that people are searching for online. Now that’s what I call speedy market research!

You can also use Amazon Bestsellers and Amazon Movers & Shakers.

The key to finding success online?  Find a niche and go after it!

by Jon Wuebben

Content is not about creating it once and being done with it. Content is about publishing… Publishing to your audience. Whether it’s new pages on your website, blog posts, tweets or anything else, it’s about providing information that your audience wants to know about. Top 10 lists, interviews with important industry players, book reviews, new product releases, etc. There are tons of things that people want to know about. People are curious creatures and they’d rather support you and buy from you than a big unfeeling corporation.

So what is the content life cycle? It’s a process for communicating with your audience. It’s a plan that you put together to connect with them on an ongoing basis. All the while, your audience grows and you are selling more products and services. Why? You’re giving them what they want. They will give you what you want. That’s how it works.

The first step is to create the content. This is the hardest part. What should you write about? What should you publish? Ask your customers. Look at competitors. Brainstorm on Twitter. Read Google News. Think differently. Once you decide on a topic, create it quickly and while inspired. Do your research and get feedback from others if you need to. Make it good.

Next it to distribute it – to get it out there. Blogs have made it much easier. Social media has made it much easier. Many years ago, it sort of started with article banks. Now we have podcasts, webinars and many other ways to get the information out there. The key is to get it out there in as many ways as possible and then let the viral web take it! Remember, if it’s good and you have some great link bait included, this may not be much work on your part. Others may distribute it for you. And that really is the goal.

Finally, you need to leverage it. This basically means making the content work for you. Putting a super charged turbo engine on it. If you write a blog post, make sure it gets populated on your Twitter and Facebook pages. If you write a newsletter, make sure you have your Twitter and Facebook icons there in the email, asking for people to follow you. Ask your partners to publish your content. Make one piece of content work over time for you and get as many eyeballs on it as possible.

After you’ve done all of this, then do it again.

Content is king and it always will be.

1. How did you get started helping other writers?

I’ve always been drawn to helping other writers, ever since my horrible English teacher in ninth grade. I felt she could be doing so much more to foster our creativity and productivity. It was then and there that I vowed to help writers and be the kind of teacher she wasn’t. Bless her. Who’d have thought that a bad teacher could inspire so much passion in a student?!

2. What do you feel are the 3 things you can help most with?

Three only? You’re kidding, right? Okay. I’ll narrow it down. Which brings me to the first thing: Focus. I help you focus on what you want to write about. Which bring us to the second thing: Clarity. I help you get clear and specific about what you want to say, to whom, and why. Lastly, I help you organize your thoughts AFTER you’ve spilled them onto the page.

3. What advice would you give to those who want to write a book but aren’t sure what to do first?

First things first: Make sure there is an audience for your book and that you can reach that audience. If you want to write your book to please yourself, then know that and operate off of that premise. If you see there is a small, yet dedicated audience for how to polish antique furniture, write your book knowing specifically how big your target audience is. A silly example, I know, but we writers are creative types!

4. How can an author promote their book inexpensively or even for free?

Ah! One of my most favorite topics. Word of mouth and word of mouse, its new version. Social networking is one of my most favorite tools to get people noticing and talking about your book, specifically Facebook and Twitter, and for certain audiences, LinkedIn. If you want to take action and learn more, be sure to see when my next class is on Social Networking for Authors on my site’s Events page

5. Tell us about a couple of the books you have written.

Sure. In 2008, I published Overcome Writer’s Block: 10 Sparks to Ignite Your Creativity to bring right- and left-brain techniques to writers who were stuck. Since I always like a myriad of exercises to get me going, I knew other writers would appreciate the same. My approach is practical and fun. Writers tell me the exercises get them writing! Music to my ears!

In 2009, I published The Writer’s Adventure Guide: 12 Stages to Writing Your Book. Inspired by Joseph Campbell’s work on the Hero’s Journey, and informed by my own experience writing fiction [I’m working on a young adult fantasy series], this book is for primarily for fiction authors to help them travel the inner landscape of writing a book. If you’re curious to learn more, I offer a free report at http://www.writersadventureguide.com so you can see for yourself how the Writer’s Adventure Guide method works for you.

Thanks Jon for the opportunity to interview with you!

Bio: Who Beth Barany works with are aspiring authors. She helps them actually get their books written, marketed and out in the world. If you’re curious, schedule a complimentary session here: http://www.bethbarany.com/contact.html.

by Jon Wuebben

How many of you honestly are doing what you love to do? How many are convinced that if you did, you would be happier, more productive, have more customers than you would know what to do with and be extremely successful? Well, guys…no surprise here. THIS is what it’s all about. And it takes some deep thinking. Some of us don’t know what we love to do. But once you find it, it can be a life-altering moment.

Plus, let’s face it: job security in corporate America is fading quickly. But the economic downturn is an unexpected chance to transform hobbies or youthful fantasies, that some of your family members maybe thought was impractical, into a real career, a business that will positively affect the lives of many people with your goods and services.

Laura Waldusky, who recently opened her own jewelry shop in Houston, after being unable to find a job said this: “I’ve spent most of my professional life making money for other people’s companies, why not invest my talents in myself?” She had been designing her own jewelry as a hobby for many years and decided to use her savings to make her jewelry business a full-time gig. This is brilliant.

What can you do to move toward getting paid to do what you love?

Find your passion. What makes you come alive? For my wife, its video editing…moving pictures. When she is in the zone, she is Michaeleangelo hanging from the Sistine Chapel. She is Galileo coming up with improvements to the telescope. She is you and me and all of us, creating in the collective unconscious that brings us all together.

How do you get there? Ask yourself this:  “What would I do for free?” Find your strengths. What are you naturally good at? The world wants your gift. At a loss? Try talking to your friends and family and ask them what three things you’re naturally talented at. This is a great idea.

You will get there.

Did we ever think that two college students with a gift for rhyming could hi-jack the advertising and promotions department for McDonalds for a few weeks with a clever rap about mcnuggets?  It happened.

Welcome to the Democratization of Self Expression.

What does this mean? It means that your brand is out of your hands. And it should be if you think about it. Your customers are important. What they think has always been important. It’s just that before, corporations loved being able to dish it down people’s throats. And look how far it got us. Chrysler. GM. Others. It doesn’t work, it’s never worked. The reason why Toyota came out of nowhere in the 70’s and 80’s and then eventually went on to dominate the auto market is because they listened to their customers. In a way, they were on the forefront of social media. They gave their customers a voice before they were able to have one on their own! With any news, we can now question it, put in context, analyze it and comment on it.

Who used to control content? Newspapers, TV, radio. Well, they don’t control it anymore. Now, it’s all about brand equity. Traditional advertisers can’t understand that they don’t control the message of their brand anymore. And they really don’t like it. But you see, they are doing themselves a great dis-service. Who controls the brand? Your customers. Your fans. Your prospects. And the way that you respond to them is the game. How do you do that? Well, you have to be able to deliver the goods for one. In other words, you need to be the expert. And secondly, you need to listen – very well. and this is hard for many people. It is a two way conversation!

Paul Levinson, a professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University and the author of “New New Media” said,” what makes these newer media so important is that it turns the consumers into producers. The idea that you can talk to someone and see their face and have a video conversation with them that doesn’t cost anything – that would have been science fiction 10 years ago.”

All human and business progress has led to this. This is the greatest opportunity any of us will ever know in our lifetimes. We need to grab it, take it, run with it, lead it and make it happen! Don’t squander this chance!

None of us understand how it’s going to revolutionize our society, but we’re in charge of where it’s going to take us, which in and of itself is revolutionary. And exciting!

”Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” –Calvin Coolidge

This quote…which, of course, is legendary and I believe, very true, has come to me time and time again as I’ve canvassed the country talking to corporations, associations and others about the power of Social Media. Seems many people get it and others flat out…do not. And it’s a little bit surprising who doesn’t: The C-Suite.

Why do they have a tough time with Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the rest?

1. Resistance to change.
2. They don’t see a way to make money from it.

Well, these CEO’s, CFO’s, VP’s and others need to understand one very simple thing: they better get on board.  Quick.  The train has left the station. Social Media isn’t just a cool little new business strategy — it’s a tectonic shift in global commerce and communication.  As I have said before, along with the rise of the Internet itself, it’s our Industrial Revolution.  And it’s NOT about making money for the last time!  Yes, that’s important. Very important.  But, there are other aspects to business.  Communication and customers being two of them.

So, back to the poem. I think it deserves a little updating. In light of the topic at hand, here is my re-write of that classic Coolidge prose:

”Few things in business are more important than Acceptance to Change. Talent is not; nothing is more common than change resistant men and women with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Acceptance of change alone is omnipotent.” –Calvin Coolidge (along with Jon Wuebben)

I love how he emphasized the importance of social media and attempted to allay any fears that businesses might have about this exciting and very important type of new marketing. The “Top 10 Reasons You Need to Be on Social Networks” is a must read on page 102.

What else did I like?

• His positive, “you can do it” tone/approach. There’s a lot to know… and he breaks it down so it’s very easy to grasp
• His tips for brick and mortar businesses – like the email list building advice on page 82
• The viral marketing campaign success stories on page 95
• Chapter 11 on Social Bookmarking is worth its weight in gold
• Chapter 18 on video had some excellent suggestions as well

It appears Scott and I are both big fans of Gary Vaynerchuk, the guy from WineLibrary.com. Gary is a one man Internet Marketing Machine and Scott tells his story on page 257. Be sure to take a look at this one… lots to learn.

Finally, e-Riches is a slam dunk for one other reason: all the great charts and visuals throughout the book. I absolutely loved the chart he had on page 301 for Analyzing Your Online Competition. This is one area I think many companies miss – they forget to see who they are up against and what they need to do to compete more effectively.

All in all, this book delivers – big time. I recommend you pick up a copy today… and then buy a few for your business friends while you’re at it!

What does this mean? It means that the landscape of search is changing right before our very eyes. It means that small mom and pop companies that service the city they are located in are growing and finding new, more efficient ways of doing business.

A tremendous surge in the annual growth of local search far out paced growth of overall Web search.   How do we know about all of this?  I’m seeing it in my clients. I’m hearing it on the street. And studies are showing it too. In fact, a study conducted by comScore, Inc., a leading Web behavior research firm, and the Yellow Pages Association this past spring produced some very interesting data.

The study found that local search — the practice of using online search tools to find local businesses, products, or services — grew 58 percent in 2008, reaching an annual total of 15.7 billion searches. By comparison, overall U.S. Web core searches grew at a much smaller rate of 21 percent year-over-year, nearing 137 billion searches by the end of 2008. Local searches stand at 12 percent of core searches on the top 5 portals.

“Even if the searcher doesn’t know the company or brand they will ultimately give their business to, the decision to actually make a purchase has often already been made,” said Neg Norton, president, Yellow Pages Association. “That is a strong argument for local merchants to develop and maintain an online profile, if they haven’t already done so.”

I agree. And interestingly enough, 75 percent of the top 100 “local” keywords searched on the web are non-branded, which means that most people have not decided on a specific company when they start their search. If your company comes up…you have the chance at getting some new business, just for being in the right place (top of the local results on Google) at the right time (their search). Other interesting data:

• 54% of people out there have substituted the Internet and local search for phone books
• 90% of online commercial searches result in a local offline purchase
• 61% of all local searches result in a transaction

But not all companies are there yet. If you are a barber, manicurist, dry cleaner, laundromat, delicatessen, sandwich shop or any other local business that depends on local foot traffic, it’s time to get on it!  People want to do business with you. If you want to find out how, make sure you pay attention to a few important items:

Optimize each page of your site for SEO

• Make sure the HTML tags on your page include your location info where appropriate
• Make sure your address appears in at least a few places on your site, as crawl-able text
• Make sure your city name shows up in key places like title tags and headings
• Your contact information should be on every page of your Web site
• An optimized contact us page with all your information on it

Solicit Local Links

• Submit to directories and get your company listed.
• Some are paid listings – investing $100-400 is a small price to pay for the potential traffic. Most important ones:

- Superpages
- Yelp
- TrueLocal
- Local.com
- YellowPages.com
- Localeze
- MerchantCircle
- Hot Frog
- InfoUSA

• Mobile Search on the Rise

- There are 54.5 million mobile Internet users in the U.S., 15% of iPhone applications are local

• Google’s Local Business Center – Set up a Gmail account prior to filling out the form
• Yahoo’s Local Search – Set up an account before you proceed with the listing
• Live Search Local Listing Center – Set up a Microsoft Live account
• GetListed.org – a one-stop shop for generating multiple listings
• Look at directories that cater to your local market

-  Ask your local chamber of commerce and other local web directories to link to your site
-  Make sure that your information is complete and that it uses the same keywords on your site

• Reach out to your satisfied customers and ask them to come and rate your business and/or write a review.

-  Positive reviews will add more credibility and help you stand out in the crowd
-  Send review links to all of your clients, and ask them for a brief positive review

• Study your competition and find out where they have local link groupings

-  Local link groupings: Page on the Internet where all, or most of, your competitors get incoming links.

• Link your location page to your Web site as well as your Facebook and Twitter pages

Once you’ve done all of this, I guarantee you more business will be coming your way. It’s not too late to jump on the web train! But “The Local Express” is leaving soon…